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OPSO maintenance worker allegedly aided in prison break arrested

By Raeven Poole May 20, 2025 | 9:53 AM

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — An Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office facility employee is in custody accused of assisting in the escape of 10 inmates.

According to OPSO officials, 33-year-old Sterling Williams was arrested on May 19 and has been booked into the Plaquemines Parish Jail on 10 charges of principle to simple escape and a charge of malfeasance in office. His bond was set at $100,000 per charge, or a total of $1.1 million.

William allegedly aided in the May 16 escape of:

  • Antoine Massey
  • Lenton VanBuren
  • Leo Tate
  • Derrick Groves
  • Jermaine Donald
  • Corey Boyd
  • Dkenan Dennis — CAPTURED
  • Gary Price — CAPTURED
  • Kendell Myles — CAPTURED
  • Robert Moody — CAPTURED

According to the affidavit, Williams, who worked as a maintenance worker at the facility, reportedly shut off the water to the toilet shown in the pictures of the escape site.

(Courtesy/Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office)

This comes as three other jail employees were suspended for their parts during the investigation.

According to the affidavit, during Williams’ interview he reportedly told Louisiana Bureau of Investigation agents that he had turned off the water under the direction of Antoine Massey who “threatened to shank him if he did not turn the water off.”

It further states that security cameras captured Williams in the 1D pod talking to escapee Derrick Groves, Massey and an unidentified inmate. He also told agents that Groves allegedly tried to take his phone in an attempt to get Williams to “bring a book with cash app information to his cousin in the next pod over.”

Agents stated had the inmates removed the toilet without turning off the water source, they believe the escape would not have been successful as the pod would have flooded drawing attention to them.

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